L322 Here we go - Rear brakes binding

Got back from a luckily fairly short drive to the supermarket yesterday and smelt a suspicious overheating smell emanating from the rear offside wheel - and could feel the heat radiating from it when I went to look, then saw smoke curling up from the callipers.

Another mile and I think I'd have been on fire!

Any ideas on the causes and fixes of this unwelcome behaviour on a 4.4TDV8 with the F*** Off big Brembo brakes?

Sounds like a piston has seized in the brake calliper, only way to fix that is to either replace calliper or if your lucky you can get a repair kit, but often not worth the hassle as they normally seize because of rust and can be a pig to get out, then you really need to make sure everything is purrrrfectly clean before reassembly and the new piston is inserted correctly without damaging the new seal.

Snaggapuss said:

Sounds like a piston has seized in the brake calliper, only way to fix that is to either replace calliper or if your lucky you can get a repair kit, but often not worth the hassle as they normally seize because of rust and can be a pig to get out, then you really need to make sure everything is purrrrfectly clean before reassembly and the new piston is inserted correctly without damaging the new seal.

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Thanks, thats what I'm worried about. Just replaced guide pins on front and rear callipers on the P38 - don't really want to get into that on my daily ride too!

Salisbury Nick said:

Thanks, thats what I'm worried about. Just replaced guide pins on front and rear callipers on the P38 - don't really want to get into that on my daily ride too!

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Although in common with most of the rest of the country, that isn't going anywhere either - which maybe why it has seized.

Check the calipers slides and handbrake shoes.

Those Brembo calipers require a mortgage to replace them, I hope it's the sliders and not the caliper.

usually a seized piston..

you can rebuild them,

Depending on mileage and a few other factors, I 'd agree with the above. Mine is older than yours but, with just over 130k on the clock, might be at a similar life cycle as a 9yr old, and I have not so long ago had sticking calipers. No smoke but lots of squealing. Nice new ones solved the issue

Datatek said:

Those Brembo calipers require a mortgage to replace them, I hope it's the sliders and not the caliper.

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I bet they do. I hope so too.

gold rover said:

Depending on mileage and a few other factors, I 'd agree with the above. Mine is older than yours but, with just over 130k on the clock, might be at a similar life cycle as a 9yr old, and I have not so long ago had sticking calipers. No smoke but lots of squealing. Nice new ones solved the issue

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It’s just gone over 100k - English miles...

You had to replace your callipers?

Trouble is that my trolley jack and axle stands are in a lock up in Marlborough where the P38 is, also up in the air while I replace the guide pins on her front callipers.

So to fetch my lifting gear I need to drive 20 miles.

This is awkward.

Salisbury Nick said:

Trouble is that my trolley jack and axle stands are in a lock up in Marlborough where the P38 is, also up in the air while I replace the guide pins on her front callipers.

So to fetch my lifting gear I need to drive 20 miles.

This is awkward.

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Do you have someone who would go for you? I'm sure getting a daily driver on road, is classed as essential. If you have no other transport .

Datatek said:

Those Brembo calipers require a mortgage to replace them, I hope it's the sliders and not the caliper.

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Only the fronts are Brembos, rears common fare.

Fronts are ally 6 pot fixed calipers, so no slide pins.

gold rover said:

Do you have someone who would go for you? I'm sure getting a daily driver on road, is classed as essential. If you have no other transport .

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Thanks, I do have another ride, or three, so its not a shortage of working cars - just the conversation with plod should it crop up, because although I agree that fixing my main car should be classed as 'essential' - if I have others, and I do - and I have no good reason to drive any of them, which I don't - I'm definitely feeling my argument for essential travel would come across as a bit weak....